


The Things I Do For You

by g33kyclassic



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Charles is a Sweetheart, Erik is a Sweetheart, Erik will put up with anything for Charles, Fluff, Kittens, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 16:16:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/g33kyclassic/pseuds/g33kyclassic
Summary: Charles brings a stray kitten to Erik's apartment.  Taking it in is but one of the many things Erik is willing to do for Charles.





	The Things I Do For You

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the 'They Deserve Better Cherik Challenge'. The day 2 prompt was kittens and here is what popped into my head!
> 
> Please enjoy :)

****

**The Things I do For You**

* * *

“Please, Erik.”

“No.”

“Come on, Erik. Look at him!” Charles holds out his bundle, daring Erik to resist him.

Erik looks passed the squirming kitten to Charles face and sighs. Charles eyes are puffy and red. His nose is twitching and Erik knows, he just knows he’s about to start having another sneezing fit.

“I’m not keeping him.” Erik insists.

“Please, Erik. Look at him – he’s all alone and cold and hungry and he needs someone to take care of him!” Charles pleads.

“Then take him to a shelter. Someone will adopt him.”

“Do you know how many poor animals get put down at those places? I most certainly will not bring him there!”

Charles suddenly rears back and sneezes five times in quick succession, which causes the kitten to screech and scratch at Charles in terror.

“Oh, no. Poor kitty.” Charles murmurs, pulling the kitten in close to his body and stroking his fur.

Erik can see the red welts blooming on Charles wrists, his hands, and his neck.

“Give it to me.” Erik orders. “Give me the damn cat.”

“Oh, Erik! Really? You’ll take him?” Charles asks, beaming as he hands the kitten over to Erik and is then promptly swept up in another sneezing fit. “You are truly the best friend a man could ever ask for.”

“I am taking this cat, Charles, with the understanding that there will never be another cat. Or a dog. Or any animal of any type. Do you understand?” Charles is nodding happily along as Erik speaks, all while blowing his nose. “You are allergic to anything with fur. You’re eyes are watering, you can’t stop sneezing and I can see you breaking out into hives from here. I have some Benadryl in the bathroom. Go take some. Now.” Erik growls, completely exasperated.

Erik stares down at the kitten in his arms as he waits for Charles to emerge from the bathroom. Things like this are always happening to him… and it’s always because of Charles. He signed up for an art history course as his elective in junior year because Charles wanted to take a class together. He has learned how to knit because Charles is always cold and can’t keep track of his gloves, his hats, or his scarves and Erik is forever making him new ones. He signed up for ballroom dancing lessons for fucks sake, all because Charles wanted to and had then spent a torturous three months waltzing around a room with Charles in his arms hoping he wouldn’t notice that Erik was in love with him.

Because Erik has been in love with Charles for years. And after five years of friendship and watching Charles date half the population of their university, Erik is completely certain Charles will never, ever feel the same way about him. Charles loves everybody. Erik only loves two people: his mother and Charles.

Charles, the rescuer of stray kittens, walks back into the living room at that moment. He looks horrible – somehow in the last five minutes his eyes have swelled up and Erik can barely see the bright blue of Charles’ irises behind the puffy redness that surrounds them.

Charles, of course, is smiling at Erik (or more likely the kitten in Erik’s arms) with exaggerated fondness.

“I think a cat will be so good for you, Erik.” He comments cheerily.

“You know this means we won’t be able to have our Wednesday night chess games, right?” Erik asks, his brow arched.

“Wha…” Charles stands, mouth open, clearly surprised.

“You can hardly spend the evening here with me playing chess if I have a cat.” Erik notes.

He wonders briefly if they could play at Charles place, but quickly dismisses the idea. Charles lives with his sister and she throws impromptu parties with disturbing frequency. Plus Erik is sure she knows about Erik’s infatuation and he would really rather prefer if Charles never found out about it.

“Give him back.” Charles’ voice interrupts Erik’s thoughts.

“What?”

“Give him back.” Charles says with a determined look on his face. “I’m bringing him to the shelter.”

“You’re what?” Erik stands stunned – just ten minutes ago Charles had refused to even consider the suggestion of a shelter.

Clearly dissatisfied with Erik’s lack of action, Charles steps forward and grabs the kitten right out of Erik’s arms. Erik finds himself following, still struck dumb with shock, as Charles heads toward the door, muttering to the cat as he walks.

“No chess night! Simply absurd. Think you can take Erik away from me, hmm? I don’t think so.” Charles give the kitten a hard look. “He’s mine – I found him first.”

Erik walks with Charles to his car with a stupid grin on his face. He knows he must be flashing all of his teeth by the way people keep walking as far away from him as possible.

They make it to the shelter five minutes before it closes. Charles is relieved when the lady working there tells him kittens almost always find families – they’re small and cute and hard to resist. Erik thinks he knows someone else who meets that description, but he holds his tongue.

Next Wednesday, on chess night, when Erik finally leans across the board and kisses Charles, who returns the kiss with more enthusiasm than Erik thought possible, Erik sends a quick thank you to that stray kitten. Because being Charles friend had been the best thing to ever happen to Erik, but having Charles snuggle up to him in bed is even better.


End file.
